Early Years
In his junior year, Charles ran for 2,051 yards and 25 touchdowns while leading Memorial High School of Port Arthur, Texas to the 5A Division II quarterfinals. He was named first team all-state by the Texas Sports Writers Association and second team all-state by the Associated Press.
Charles followed up his stellar junior season by rushing for 2,056 yards and 25 touchdowns his senior year. The Associated Press named him to their first team all-state squad and he was declared the Houston Chronicle area offensive MVP. Charles was also named to the 2005 Parade All-America Football Team and was the District 22-5A Player of the Year both his junior and senior year. Charles participated in the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
He is a two-time recipient of the Willie Ray Smith Award, which is given to the southeast Texas offensive MVP.
In the summer between his sophomore and junior years, Charles won the bronze medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics. He went on to win the 110m hurdles and 300m hurdles Texas 5A state championships with times of 13.69 and 36.03 seconds, respectively, his senior year.
Read more about this topic: Jamaal Charles
Famous quotes containing the words early years, early and/or years:
“I believe that if we are to survive as a planet, we must teach this next generation to handle their own conflicts assertively and nonviolently. If in their early years our children learn to listen to all sides of the story, use their heads and then their mouths, and come up with a plan and share, then, when they become our leaders, and some of them will, they will have the tools to handle global problems and conflict.”
—Barbara Coloroso (20th century)
“I looked at my daughters, and my boyhood picture, and appreciated the gift of parenthood, at that moment, more than any other gift I have ever been given. For what person, except one’s own children, would want so deeply and sincerely to have shared your childhood? Who else would think your insignificant and petty life so precious in the living, so rich in its expressiveness, that it would be worth partaking of what you were, to understand what you are?”
—Gerald Early (20th century)
“[Research has found that] ... parents whose children were “baby altruists” by two years firmly prohibited any child aggression against others. Adults not only restated their rule against hitting, for example, but they let the little one know that they would not tolerate the child hurting another.”
—Alice Sterling Honig (20th century)